Cycling the Bay Area & Stories from the Garden

It was 40 cubits x 40 cubits, right?

Well, maybe no snoring, but it has definitely been coming down decently lately. With the vast amounts of rain that Oakland has been getting over the past couple of weeks, I am thinking it might just be time to start looking into building that Ark once and for all!

Violas in full bloom grace my living room

I admit, I have mixed emotions about the rain – I love the rain for its cleansing ability and for the fact that the rain saves me a lot of time usually spent watering the plants in the mornings. However, the rain is a pain in the arse for those of us that do not have an automobile and need to get groceries, go somewhere, or just about anything that requires a trip outdoors.

A pansy bloom, with multicolored primrose in the background

The plants are all doing great and really loving the rain! The snapdragon have started their magnificent bloom and I am reminded just how beautiful the pastel blooms are and look forward to a long season of beautiful blooms. The main snapdragon patch is bursting at the seams with buds that promise an explosion of color in the coming days – I can’t wait!

Snapdragon central is about to burst into color!

A purple, white, and yellow snapdragon says hello

The violas have also recently had an explosion of blooms. The color spectrum ranges from bright pure white, golden-yellow, to the 3-color variety in the photo at the start of this post. The bang you get for the buck out of additions of garden color such as violas, pansy’s, and snapdragon, must be one of the best deals in gardening. The violas, for example, were only $3.99 for a 6-pack of starter plants that grow quickly, and as you can see, bloom profusely once they get going.

Snow white violas in full bloom

My pint-sized planter

Golden yellow viola blooms

Gretchen

The rain today has a special significance, it is serving as a cleansing entity to wipe away a recent loss – it also clears a path for a new addition to my life – an 8-year old cat named Gretchen. More about her will be forthcoming in future posts as she acclimates herself to me and I her. She was born a feral cat and has lived with 3 other cats (all males) for most of her life. Sadly; however, she has been getting progressively more and more unhappy about having to share her existence with the males cats and her person made the tough decision to seek out a new home for her.

I feel so fortunate that Gretchen’s care has been entrusted to me – the benefit of sharing your life and caring for another creature is something that is so precious and wonderful, and that I have definitely been missing lately. I can’t wait to welcome her home tomorrow.

Anywho, I have lots of additional photos to post; however, I think this post has enough pictures for one day so stay tuned for new posts through the next week for more updates on the patio and lots of pictures of everything in bloom or preparing to bloom.

I leave you with this parting shot – a close up of the Poinsettia that one of my friends at work received from her Mom for Christmas in 2010. I have been caring for and nurturing this once scrawny little Poinsettia and she continues to repay my care with colorful bracts and delicate foliage. She continues to be a wonderful and interesting addition to the menagerie of plants that are currently occupying my desk!